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Easton scrolls through the images. He picks a few favorites and airdrops them to himself.
“I hope this guy you’re working for appreciates your talent.”
There he goes, being all bossy and over-protective. I love this side of him, and his kind words encourage me. Knowing he thinks I’m talented makes me want to do my best.
“The man I’m working for is truly gifted. He’s been in the industry for decades, and I can learn so much from him.”
The truth is, I’ve only chatted with Dietrich once, over Zoom. Everything I know about him is from his official material. If the job turns out to be a dud, it’s on me. It wouldn’t be a problem if I only had to consider myself. I hope I’m not mistaken because Easton is changing his life to help me follow my dream.
“Ivy, I may not know the art world, but determination and drive go a long way, and you have plenty of that. I’m sure you’ll pick up the rest of the skills quickly and be able to do what he does in no time.”
I hope he feels the same way about his job, as he is officially unemployed.
“Thanks for believing in me, but we need to talk about your plans, too.”
“We will when I know what the plan is.” He laughs, and I’m uncomfortable with how quickly he changes the subject.
“I don’t know.” I shake my head. “It’s a lot of responsibility on my shoulders. What if my job doesn’t work out, and you missed an opportunity for nothing?”
I am also concerned that if he burns a bridge in his industry, he will find it hard to get another job.
“Come here.” He takes my hand, bringing it to his lips, and softly kisses my knuckles. “You are thoughtful and sweet, but you don’t need to worry.”
I take a deep breath before looking into his dark eyes with a gentle smile.
“I can’t help it,” I say, my words barely a whisper. “I just want you to know how much I care about you.”
His lips curl as he gives me an encouraging nod. “The specialized work I do means I am at a point in my career where I can choose who to work for and where.”
Our eyes meet, and I offer him my hand and my support. We share a similar dedication to our work, and he is asking me to trust him and respect his wishes.
“The company’s people are men like myself, and they will understand if I need to take on a safer job that allows us to be together.”
“Wow, it’s a lot. I mean, we only just met, and we are making so many changes.”
“When you know you’ve found the right person, you know. Now that I’ve found you, I’m not letting you go.” He gives me a dazzling grin, full of self-assurance. “We will find a way to make it work, where both of us can be happy and fulfilled.”
His words fill me with warmth and confidence as we share a soft kiss. “I love that you want us both to succeed, but you won’t stand in my way of doing what I need.”
“I love you, gorgeous, and I will never compromise your independence.”
I have never felt so sure of myself and my decisions, knowing I have someone beside me who will support and challenge me. Easton is the perfect balance for me.
“Time to quit stalling,” he says after checking the time. “It’s time to get moving.”
I swallow around the lump in my throat. Our eyes lock, and he stares at me wordlessly. Our connection is drawn out in the silence of one long, beautiful moment.
Last night, Easton and I agreed that he would drop me at the hotel, spend the night at his brother’s and pick me up in the morning. But he never left the hotel.
“Okay. A deal is a deal, and I’m not going to lie. It was worth it.”
“Damn right, it was worth it.” His voice is low and husky, and he watches me with a knowing smirk.
“Ryan and Sarah want us to be there for Christmas lunch.”
“Christmas lunch? Christmas was weeks ago.”
He chuckles. “We celebrate Christmas later than other folks because my brother was born on Christmas Day.”
